Pressure vessel with removable sealing lid

Abstract

A pressure vessel having a removable lid for storing objects under pressure is disclosed. The pressure vessel includes a pressure chamber having a smooth walled opening of uniform size against which the removable lid seals with an interference fit. A stop is secured to the pressure vessel and restrains one end of the removable lid from sliding along the smooth wall. At the other end of the lid there is pivotally mounted a locking member which engages under a locking projection fixed to the pressure vessel. A lever arm, pivotally attached to the locking member, uses a levering projection (fixed to the pressure vessel) as a fulcrum to assist in fitting the lid to and removing the lid from the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is provided with a valve for manually dumping pressure from the pressure chamber and is also provided with a source of pressurized fluid for pressurizing the chamber to a predetermined amount of pressure.

The Embodiments of the Invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A pressure vessel for storing objects under pressure, said pressure vessel comprising: a pressure chamber having an opening, a removable lid closing said opening, a floating radial pressure seal between said removable lid and said opening, said removable lid floating with respect to said opening and thereby;   external restraining means acting between the floating removable lid and the pressure vessel;   a valve mounted in said pressure chamber for dumping pressure from said chamber when said chamber is pressurized; and   a source of pressurized fluid for pressurizing said chamber to a predetermined amount of pressure, wherein upon said pressure chamber being pressurized said floating removable lid floats within said opening, said pressure causing said lid to clamp against said external restraining means to prevent accidental release of pressure without axially compressing the pressure seal, said lid only being releasable from said clamping upon release of the pressure from the pressur chamber.   
     
     
       2. A pressure vessel as claimed in claim 1 wherein said restraining means further comprises a stop, and at least one locking projection mounted on generally opposite sides of said pressure vessel, and said removable lid further includes a locking member pivotally mounted to said lid for locking onto said locking projection. 
     
     
       3. A pressure vessel as claimed in claim 2 wherein said locking member further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted on said locking member and said pressure vessel further includes a levering projection. 
     
     
       4. A pressure vessel as claimed in claim 2 further including two locking projections, and wherein said locking member is generally rectangular for locking onto both said locking projections. 
     
     
       5. A pressure vessel as claimed in claim 4 wherein said locking member further includes a handle member. 
     
     
       6. A pressure vessel as claimed in claim 3 wherein said lever are further includes a recess to secure the lever arm over the levering projection to assist drawing the lid into the openeing and a thrust surface to position on the levering projection to assist drawing the lid out of the opening. 
     
     
       7. A pressure vessel having a removable lid for storing objects under pressure, said pressure vessel comprising: a pressure chamber having a straight walled opening, said removable lid closing said opening and having an integral radial seal, said seal being dimensioned to form an interference fit with said straight wall to form a pressure resistent seal there against;   a stop mounted on said pressure vessel for restraining movement of one side of said lid;   a locking member pivotally mounted on the other side of said likd,   at least one locking projection mounted on said pressure vessel for locking said locking member;   a valve mounted in said pressure chamber for dumping pressure from said chamber when said chamber is pressurized; and   a source of pressured fluid for pressurizing said chamber to a predetermined amount of pressure upon said pressure vessel being pressurized said removable lid clamping against said stop and said locking member without axially compressing said radial seal, said lid not being free to unclamp until the pressure is released from the chamber.   
     
     
       8. The pressure vessel of claim 7 wherein said locking member is pivotally mounted at a point laterally displaced from said locking projection whereby, when said pressure vessel is pressurized, a force component is generated tending to keep said locking member on said locking projection. 
     
     
       9. The pressure vessel of claim 7 or 8 further including a pivoting lever arm mounted between said locking member and said pressure chamber, said lever arm providing leverage to facilitate the fitting and removal of the removable lid to the opening. 
     
     
       10. The pressure vessel of claim 7 or 8 wherein said locking member further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted thereon, and a levering projection mounted on the pressure chamber to act as a fulcrum. 
     
     
       11. The pressure vessel of claim 7 or 8 wherein said locking member further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted thereon, and a levering projection mounted on the pressure chamber to act as a fulcrum, and wherein said lever arm further includes a recess to secure the lever arm over the levering projection to assist drawing the lid into the opening and a thrust surface to position on the levering projection to assist drawing the lid out of the opening. 
     
     
       12. The pressure vessel of claim 7 or 8 wherein said locking member further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted thereon at a second pivotal mounting point closer to the pivotal mounting point of said locking member than said locking member's free end, and a levering projection mounted on the pressure chamber to act as a fulcrum. 
     
     
       13. The pressure vessel of claim 7 or 8 wherein said locking member further includes a lever arm pivotally mounted thereon, and a levering projection mounted on the pressure chamber to act as a fulcrum, said lever arm being mounted at a second pivotal mounting point which is generally above said locking projection. 
     
     
       14. The pressure vessel of claim 1 or 7 wherein said pressurized fluid used is air and wherein said source of pressurized fluid is a compressor. 
     
     
       15. The pressure vessel of claim 1 or 7 wherein said pressurized fluid used is air and wherein said source of pressurized fluid is a compressor, and further includes a pressure switch connected in series with said compressor. 
     
     
       16. The pressure vessel of claim 1 or 7 further including a safety release valve. 
     
     
       17. The pressure vessel of claim 1 or 7 further including a visible pressure gauge. 
     
     
       18. The pressure vessel of claim 1 or 7 further including an equipment chamber. 
     
     
       19. A pressures vessel having a removable lid for storing objects under pressure, said pressure vessel comprising: a cylindrical pressure chamber of uniform diameter along its axis having a cylindrically walled opening, said removable lid closing said opening and carrying an integral radial pressure seal, said seal being dimensioned to form an interference fit with said cylindrical wall to seal there against said removable lid being free floating with respect to said cylindrically walled opening;   locking means to lock said removable lid from sliding along said cylindrical wall under the influence of pressure when said pressure chamber is pressurizd;   a valve mounted in said pressure chamber for dumping pressure from said chamber when said chamber is pressurized;   a source of pressurized fluid for pressurizing said chamber to a predetermined amount of pressure;   said removable lid sliding along said cylindrical wall when said pressure chamber is pressurized and engaging said locking means to secure the removable lid in place without axially compressing the pressure seal said lid not being disengagable from said locking menas until the pressure is released from said pressure chamber, whereby the accidental release of the pressure is prevented.